Personal information managers (PIMs) are tools that greatly enhance access to information required in various social and business activities. The information may include lists of important telephone numbers, scheduled events or meetings, addresses, important dates, things to be done, items to be purchased--in short, almost any type of data that might be needed by a person. To facilitate entry and storage of data into devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), they are generally made sufficiently large to incorporate a QWERTY keypad. However, if a full keypad is included within a PIM device, the resulting package tends to be too large to be conveniently carried on one's person rather than being hand carried. Clearly, a smaller package and a different approach for entering the data are required if the device is to be small enough that it does not have to carried by hand and is to be readily accessible at all times. Any device that cannot easily be carried within a pocket or attached to a person's body or clothing is likely to be left behind and will thus be unavailable when needed.
One solution to this problem that has already been developed is the Timex Data Link Watch.TM. wristwatch. This watch includes a microprocessor and non-volatile memory used to store data that can subsequently be recalled to appear on a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen on the watch. Data that are used by the watch are initially entered on a personal computer, for example, using Microsoft Corporation's Schedule+.TM. or Lotus' Organizer.TM. personal scheduling software. To store selected data within the non-volatile memory of the watch, a data link feature is executed in the software running on the personal computer that causes display lines on the computer screen to flash in a manner that encodes the selected data. A light sensor on the watch detects the flashing lines on the computer screen, and the data encoded and conveyed thereby are decoded by a processor in the watch and stored in the memory of the watch for subsequent recall by the user.
While a wristwatch that stores data for access by a user is a significant step forward in making the PIM data available whenever required, it has several limitations. The LCD of the watch is relatively small, enabling only a few characters of text to be displayed. Further, the memory of the watch is very limited. Editing of the data stored in the watch is impractical, since there is no keyboard or other facility to enter alphanumeric characters. Unless the watch is brought back to the personal computer to download new data, the information stored in the memory of the watch cannot easily be changed.
A different type of data management system is required that is sufficiently small to be readily transportable like the Data Link Watch.TM., but is capable of displaying more data and includes additional functions that are not practical in the Data Link Watch.TM. PIM device. For example, it would be desirable to be able to execute simple software routines on the device and to make minor editing changes in the personal information data that are stored within the device. To accomplish these objects, the device preferably should include a user interface that displays the personal information data, menus, lists, and other data in a hierarchical structure to enable the user to quickly access the specific data or functions desired. To keep the device relatively small, the controls provided should be limited in size and number, for example, from four to six buttons. Further, the user should have the options for displaying the personal information data available in several different formats. The user should be able to at least scroll through lines on the display line-by-line to reach a desired data item. However, since too much time is required to scroll through long lists of data in this manner, the device should also enable the user to selectively move through the data at a substantially faster rate. No prior art portable PIM device that can be carried on a person is known that offers these features.